The Young Bank Messenger

a cabin covering quite a little ground, but only one story high. It was humble en

us e

a row of shelves containing a few articles of crockery and tinware, and a bed in the far corner of the room, on

wrinkles; from time to time he coughed so violently as to rack his slight frame, and his

He looked over seventy, but there were

a boy with dark brown hair, ruddy cheeks, hazel eyes, an attractive yet firm and resolute face, and an appearance of manliness and s

Peter?" he asked, as h

etter, Ernest," said the

le," rejoined Ernest

ractive boyhood, with the frail old man, but they had

shall never rise

thing I can get

ing left in the bottle?"

large black bottle. It seemed light and might be empty. He turned out th

ne, Uncle Peter; wil

ed the old ma

to a sitting posture, and th

and gave a sigh

d," he sai

there we

ght spot. It puts

o the village

don't

t back ve

go then, lik

ouble you for some

runk. You wi

rner. Ernest knew that this was meant, and

rnest discovered three five-dollar gold pieces. Usually his uncle h

pieces, uncle," he announc

of them,

all the money he has

neeling position a

e door in an easterly direction to the village. It was over a mile away, and

a one-story structure, as were most of the buildings in

MA

and Family

of a hunter; he looked rough, but honest and reliable, and that was more than could be said of the other. He may best be described as a tramp, a man who looked averse to labor of any

dn't remember to have met him before, nor was

said Joe Marks, cordial

Joe. He thinks h

ad as tha

he's right. He

's a good age.

ow. He neve

ty, I'm thinking. But

Uncle Peter is so weak he thin

ike good whisky to make an old man str

that Joe did not belie

aid Ernest, replying to th

whisky," remarked the

I'm thinking," said Luke

ven't had my share yet. There's lots

your share? You hadn't

e tramp, sadly. "I've never h

'd maybe not be living now. You

de, that's the way I'd lik

s diffused about the store, and the tramp sniffed it in eagerly. It stimulated his desire to indulge hi

ler, ain't you

do you

t me and this gentleman?

ortly. "I don't buy it as

," urged the tra

you bother about us, my boy. If we

as you,"--for he had noticed that Ernest had change

is words, but left the store,

boy?" aske

Ernest

he get th

s uncle, a mile f

s uncl

so. They call

goin' t

hat the b

y'll get al

s li

to be his

ghed. "You'd make a pret

the tramp, mournfully